A young American employee, arriving in London with no money and no connections, is entrusted by two billionaires with a promissory bill for a million pounds. Unbeknownst to him, he has been the object of a bet: will he be able to live for a month on the credit of this impossible-to-cash bill without being suspected of theft or embezzlement? Posing as a millionaire, the young man dresses in a luxury tailor’s shop and takes up residence in a palace without a purse. His reputation makes the rounds… and wins him the heart of a young woman.
This long novella is followed by twenty-two stories, including a burlesque account of the assassination of Julius Caesar in the style of a news item, a train journey in the company of an odoriferous corpse, and an irreverent portrait of that “old scoundrel” Benjamin Franklin! All take an ironic, critical look at American society. Twain’s satire, malice and wit hit the mark every time.